Budgam (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], January 7 (ANI): Two girls from Parniva village in Jammu and Kashmir's Budgam district shone bright in Taekwondo martial arts at the national level. Budgam's Maryam Wani and Sheeqba Shabir not only showcased exceptional talent but also displayed unwavering dedication and perseverance in their pursuit of excellence.

Maryam Wani secured the second position at the state level and claimed two gold and silver medals at the national level. Sheeqba Shabir mirrored Maryam's achievements both at the state and national levels.

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"My coach, Malik Javed, encouraged me. I chose Taekwondo because of our surroundings these days. Girls are not safe, and it is important to know self-defence. Taekwondo teaches us self-defence," said Sheeqba Shabir while speaking to ANI.

"We get immense support from our school. Our Principal tries his best to change the mindset of people here. My family members are very supportive. They don't think that girls cannot do what boys do. They treat me equally to boys," she said.

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"We played our first tournament in Jammu. We then played at district, zonal, and state levels. I want to motivate other girls to participate in this game. Girls can excel in this field. Many girls these days are involved in drugs, but this game can help in staying away from the same," she added.

Maryam Wani said, "Our journey started from school. Our PT coach used to initially train us. First, we went to Jammu for a competition. After which, we went to Kashmir where players from other countries like Nepal also came."

"Martial arts help us in staying away from drugs. It also helps in becoming self-independent. We won't rely on anyone before going out of the house. We have received immense support from family and school. They have treated us at par with boys. Girls can excel in this field if they are passionate," she said.

"I want to win a gold medal at the international level. We get a lot of criticism that we are wasting time by not studying. But it isn't a waste of time. Studies are important but this too is important," she said.

While speaking to ANI, their coach, Malik said that he tried my best that not just boys but girls too get exposed to co-curricular activities.

"People used to say that only boys could participate in co-curricular activities and not girls. But this is not true. Both our girls Maryam and Sheeqba are students of the 9th standard. They participated at the national as well as district levels and won many medals," he said.

"They have earned names for parents and school. We are trying to support them. We also motivate their parents and tell them that girls' participation must be encouraged in every field. It is a myth that only boys can participate. These girls have secured good results. Today, parents also understand the need for exposure to girls," he added further. (ANI)

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